In the construction and home improvement industry there are several materials that often require mixing prior to and occasionally during application. Paints, varnishes, concrete, and stains are common types of materials that require pre-mixing. One of the problems that is often encountered has to do with mixing these materials in their container without spilling or dripping the liquids from the container to the outside environment. For example with liquids such as paint, a traditional way of mixing has always been to use a paint stick, typically a wooden stick that is used to hand mix the paint in the can. When the user is done mixing they must try to move the stick out of the paint can without dripping and then dispose of the stick or store it for future use. Not only can this be a messy process, it does not always adequately mix the paints prior to application.
Power and crank mixers have been developed, however, they often lack ability to thoroughly mix the liquids in a closed environment. Additionally, such power and crank mixers must still be removed in such a manner as to not spill or leak material to the outside of the container.
The difficulties of mixing liquids in containers, is not just limited to the construction and home improvement industry. This is also common in the food industry where liquid or semi-solid foods must be mixed in containers prior to being dispensed. This is more common place in a commercial type of setting where large volumes of foods are being mixed. Therefore, there is a need in virtually any type of field involving the mixing of liquids in containers for an apparatus that will thoroughly mix the liquids as well as eliminate the possibility of spilling that can result when a mixing tool is removed from the container.